You may remember a while back when I asked for opinions on the SodaStream home soda maker.

Well, I finally got one.  Actually, I got one soon after that conversation, but never set it up or gave it a try.  First, because I still had other pre-bought soda to get through (I don’t drink it all that often, so it took me a while), & then because I was really nervous about using it.  I’m not good with new machinery & had visions of CO2 exploding, water spraying everywhere, syrup mixes spilling & getting everything sticky.  So I put it off…& put it off…& put it off.

But finally, I worked up my courage & gave it a try. It was amazingly easy to put together & make that first bottle of soda.  I chose Lemon-Lime from the sample pack the SodaStream came with.  I was also hugely relieved that it didn’t need to be plugged in somewhere, because if there’s anything I don’t have, it’s extra outlets & counter space. :cat

I was so excited to try the soda for the first time, but I have to tell you—I was disappointed.  Yeah, it was a little warm having been made with water straight from the tap, but aside from that, it tasted like cheap, generic soda to me, & flat cheap, generic soda on top of that.  And I thought to myself :ohcrap because once again—of course—I had gone totally overboard, buying up big bottles of nearly every flavor syrup they had at the same time I bought the machine.  Yeah, the smart thing would have been to wait until I’d tried the sample flavors that came with the SodaStream itself, then go back & only buy my favorites…but no one has ever accused me of being smart. :elvis

So like I said, I was disappointed, wondering if I’d wasted an awful lot of money & how bad the rest of the flavors were going to be if even the Lemon-Lime was kind of gross.  But I left it in the fridge overnight, & an amazing thing happened.  It tasted better the next day after sitting for a while & getting much colder.  I still can’t say I loved it, because it still seemed flat to me, but it was…less of a disappointment.

After finishing that flavor, I tried another—Diet Pink Grapefruit. Oh, I had such high hopes for this one, because I absolutely adore all things grapefruit.  And this time, I added a bit more carbonation.  Okay, a lot more. LOL  And instead of trying it immediately, I stuck it straight in the fridge & left it overnight.  I think that really helped, because when I finally gave it a sip, it was good.  Not as grapefruity as I’d hoped, but very much like Fresca, which is exactly what they compare it to.

So now I think I’m going to like this thing.  I’m eager to try their Diet Cola & Root Beer &…oooh, Cherry Cola.  (Wish they had that in diet.)  And after a bit of trial & error, I think I’ll be able to find a balance of carbonation that I like.  It still doesn’t fizz as much as regular (pre-bought) soda when I open the bottle or pour it into a glass, but maybe it doesn’t need to.  If it tastes fizzy enough, maybe I just need to get used to that aspect of making my own soda.

And I already have a new SodaStream shopping list started:  Second CO2 canister for back-up.  More Pink Grapefruit mix.  Extra bottles—preferably the smaller ones—so I can have more than one flavor on hand at a time.

But once again, I would love everybody’s opinions on this.

Did you feel the same way at first?

Have you found what works best to make for a fizzier, tastier drink?

And what are some of your favorite flavors to mix up with the SodaStream?

Comments

9 Comments  •  Comments Feed

1. 

   Mary Kirkland says:

   I don’t have one but my brother’s step son has one and he said he really likes it.

   On October 15, 2012 at 1:42 am

2. 

   Anne says:

   I don’t have one, but I tried some at Costco and I thought it was pretty good, but not as perfect as brand diet coke. The demonstrator did start with cold water and it was quite carbonated (which is how I like it). The cost of the syrups and stuff didn’t seem to be a savings to me since I only buy soda on sale, though not having to cart around the heavy packs or 2 liters would be a plus.

   On October 15, 2012 at 7:44 am

3. 

   Michelle Libby says:

   So I was one of the people who said it’s good, get it when you asked before. We do three pumps of the O2 for fizziness. That’s three times it makes a horrible sound. Usually the first time takes longer, then the second and third are much shorter. We like it for the amount of soda we drink.

   Good luck.

   Michelle

   On October 15, 2012 at 2:03 pm

4. 

   Victoria says:

   I got mine for Christmas, so yeah, been all through that experimentation and refinement phase. I think the perfect amound of carbination if 3 looong squirts (hold it down as long as you can). Also, just really run the water COLD before you carbonate. At times (when we’re thinking ahead) we’ll keep a full bottle of plain water in the fridge for future use. There are 4 of us, so usually not much, if any left, after we all have 1 glass. My fave flavor is cream soda with a tablespoon of the orange flavoring added. And if you are a Diet Coke fan…just skip the diet cola. Very disappointing.

   On October 15, 2012 at 2:11 pm

5. 

   CarrieHGill from WI says:

   I’ve often thought about getting one, but I am a hude Coca Cola fan! It’s pretty much the only one I drink, so I guess I’ll be passing on it for awhile…

   Love these icons! :hot

   On October 17, 2012 at 3:45 pm